Sliding door hanger assembly



1954 J. G. STERLING ETAL 3,153,305

SLIDING DOOR HANGER ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 20, 1963 J )1 G 5%??? 30 R0 Z 57 B I 29 W? United States Patent 3,153,865 SLIDHQG DUGR HANGER ASSEREZLY John G. Sterling, Crystal Lake, and Robert A. Worzala, ivleHenry, Ill, assignors to .lohn Sterling Corporation, Richmond, Ill, a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 2%, 1963, Ser. N $93,352 5 Claims. (ct. 16-1tl5) This invention relates generally to builders hardware and, more particularly, to improvements in sliding door hanger assemblies used for mounting a door for sliding movement along an overhead track.

Hanger assemblies for mounting sliding doors are well known in the art and such normally include track-engaging roller means, bracket means carrying the roller means and a system for attaching the bracket means to the door to be suspended for movement along an overhead track means. In general, such hanger assemblies are usually mounted in spaced relationship adjacent the upper corners of the door so as to position the roller means above the upper door edge for engagement with overdisposed track means. If great care is taken in such an installation, the door will ideally lie in a generally vertical plane with its lateral edges plumb with the vertical side jambs of the door opening. Due to normal variations of construction and settling of buildings in which sliding door installations typically are employed, however, such ideal installations are a rarity. Consequently most sliding door hanger assemblies also include some type of adjustment means for regulating the position of the door relative to the overhead track and the door frame. Previously the art has developed a wide variety of such adjustment means for use in sliding door hanger assemblies, but the need still remains for an improved, simplified hanger assembly embodying reliable and conveniently operable adjustment means.

In brief, the present invention is directed to an improved sliding door hanger assembly embodying novel unitary structural features including simplified adjustment means for regulating the positioning of track-engaging roller means thereof relative to the upper edge of a door with which the assembly of this invention is associated. One of the more outstanding features of this invention resides in its simplicity of structure and operation, while affording dependable, selectable adjustment of the roller means over a wide range of adjustment positions.

To accomplish this, the hanger assembly of this invention comprises a unitary hanger bracket having means for supporting a track-engaging roller means; the said bracket embodying a mounting portion accommodating attachment means for attaching the hanger assembly to one face of the door adjacent the upper edge thereof. The mounting portion is particularly distinguished by a pair of spaced arcuate slotted openings disposed in planar platform portions thereof adjacent centrally disposed reinforcing means. A roller supporting arm portion extends from the mounting portion in a manner to dispose the track-engaging roller means in spaced relation above the upper edge of the door.

The arcuate slotted openings comprise arcuate segments formed radially of a common center of pivotal adjusting movement for the mounting bracket, which center of pivotal movement is located remotely of the hanger bracket and, more particularly, outside of its body of formation. Attachment means, such as screw fasteners, are disposed one through each arcuate slotted opening for fastening the hanger bracket to the door and the disposition of the attachment means and the arcuate slotted openings is in such predetermined relationship as to afford a stable three-point suspension system throughout all adjustment movements of the hanger assembly. That is to "ice say, when the attachment means are loosened to permit the hanger bracket to be pivotally adjusted about its center of rotation relative to the attachment means, the bracket is statically stable in each of a plurality of adjustment positions therefor, as determined by the limits of the slotted openings and the attachment means therein. in each adjustment position for the hanger bracket the wei ht of the door is borne directly on the spaced attach merit means as transmitted thereto by their respective areas of engagement with adjacent edges of the slotted openings. This provides desired static stability for the door and hanger bracket so that the latter must be positively moved into its various adjustment positions.

The track-engaging roller means rotate about an axis or center of rotation located along a lever arm extending laterally of the center of pivotal movement for the hanger bracket. With this arrangement, pivotal movement of the bracket about its said center of rotation results in movement of the center of rotation for the track-engaging roller means along an arcuate path directionally disposed to efiectuate corresponding adjustment of the track-engaging roller means toward or away from the upper edge of a door.

Simplicity of construction and operation with consequent improved economy of manufacture acknowledge the advanced improvement of this invention; such being brought about in the aforesaid structure by producing the hanger bracket, including the mounting and roller supporting arm portions thereof, as a unitary, integral metal stamping. Means for selectively efiectuating the desired adjusting movement of the hanger bracket about its remotely disposed center of rotation is also afforded by providing a simplified engagement means receptive of a readily available hand tool, such as a screwdriver or like instrumentality, whereby the latter provides a lever advantage for pivotally moving the hanger bracket.

The main object of this invention is to provide a new and improved hanger assembly useful in suspending sliding doors.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a new and improved hanger assembly, as aforesaid, which embodies simplified adjustment means whereby a door or like panel member with which the same is associated may be brought into alignment with the frame of a door opening.

Stfll another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved sliding door hanger assembly which is dynamically adjustable to regulate the vertical plumb of a door with which the same is associated and which affords a plurality of adjustment positions in each of which the hanger assembly and its associated door are statically stable.

The above and further objects, features and advantages of this invention will appear from time to time from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a typical sliding door installation utilizing a pair of hanger assemblies ac cording to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of one of the hanger assemblies illustrated in FIGURE 1, but at an enlarged scale thereover, with the same being positioned at one limit of its adjustable movement;

FIGURE 3 is another front elevational view, similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the hanger assembly at a second limit of its adjustable movement;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational View thereof taken substantially at l ne 44 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows thereon; and

FIGURE is a bottom plan view of the hanger assembly shown in FIGURES 24.

Having thus described the present invention, the particulars and features of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the same'will now be set forth so as to enable those skilled in the art to make and use this invention.

With reference to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, it will be understood that a typical sliding door installation is therein illustrated showing a sliding panel or door mounted in a door frame, indicated generally at 11. More particularly, the door is suspended from an overhead track means 12 by a pair of spaced hanger assemblies 13 and 13' according to this invention.

As shown better in FIGURES 25, the improved hanger assembly 13 therein shown comprises a unitary hanger bracket, indicated generally at 15, which is preferably constructed as a metal stamping to include a mounting portion, shown to be of generally semi-circular shape in front elevation (see FIGURES 2 and 3) and designated generally by numeral 16. The mounting portion is formed to include a pair of laterally spaced, planar platform portions 17 and 13 which are separated by interveningly disposing reinforcing means comprising plural rib members 19, 19 and a tool receiver 20 (see FIGURE 4) raised outwardly of the common plane of formation for the two platform portions 17 and 18. 7

Platform portion 17 is further distinguished by an arcuate slotted opening 21 formed therethrough along a central radius R as designated in FIGURE 3. The center for radius R is designated C in that figure and, in a like manner, platform portion 18 is provided with a similar arcuate slotted opening 22 at radiusR from center C. Center C constitutes a center of pivotal movement for the hanger bracket which center, as shown, is located outside of the body of formation for the hanger bracket and to one side of its central vertical axis. It also will be noted that radius R is shown to be of greater extent or length than radius R2, but this is not essential to the successful practice of the present invention since, if desired, radii R and R may be of like dimension. In the particular illustrated embodiment, however, the disposition and arrangement of the plural raised reinforcing rib members 19 dictate the difference in radii R and R for the sake of conveniently locating the respectively re-' lated arcuate slotted openings 21 and 22 at conveniently accessible areas in the platform portions.

In order to provide an easily accessible and convenient ly operable means for pivotally actuating the hanger bracket, as required for selected adjustment positioning thereof, the tool receiver 20 is formed adjacent the lowermost end of the mounting portion 16, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3. As shown, receiver 20 is formed with a substantially trapezoidal-shaped wall portion 23, outset from the plane of the mounting portion 16 and adjacent the bottom margin of the latter. A wedge-shaped opening 24 extends centrally inwardly of the lower edge of the body portion 23 to receive the blade T of a suitable hand tool, such as a screwdriver with wedging engagement as shown best in FIGURES 2 and 3. By this expedient the hand tool is removably locked to the hanger bracket to provide an operating lever by which the hanger bracket may be selectively rotated about its center of pivotal movement C.

The mounting portion 16 is integrally merged with an ofiset roller supporting arm portion 26 which projects angularly outwardly from the upper edge 27 of the mounting portion 16, as best illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. It will be noted that the reinforcing ribs 19, 19 are formed to extend partially across both the mounting portion 16 and the roller supporting arm portion 26; the same being provided to add strength and rigidity to the unitary stamping according to well recognized principles of the metal forming art.

The roller mounting arm portion 26 further is directed outwardly of the mounting portion so as to overhang the upper edge of the door 14) when the hanger assembly of this invention is mounted in operating position (see FIGURE 4). At the extreme outer end of arm portion 26 and remotely of the brackets mounting portion 16 is a substantially planar roller mounting ear 28 which generally parallels the planar platform portions 17 and 18 previously described. Ear 28 has an appropriate open ing (unnumbered) which receives a single axle rivet 29 for rotatably supporting and mounting a track-engaging roller wheel means 30 thereon. It will be recognized that the roller means 30 is adapted to engage the bottom channel wall 31 of the track means 12 which is formed conventionally, as with a channel C-shaped cross section, best illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. It also is to be noted that the roller supporting axle 29 is disposed near one corner of the ear portion 28 so as to be offset laterally from the center of pivotal movement C for the hanger bracket, as indicated by the dimensional distance designated D in FIGURE 3. This arrangement provides a lever arm comprising a bell crank system for adjustably positioning the rotational axis of roller means 30 relative to the upper door edge'in response to pivotal movement of the hanger bracket, as will appear in greater detail presently.

In order to mount a hanger assembly of this invention in operating position on a door 10, which is to be thereby suspended for sliding movement along an overhead track means 12, a pair of attachment means 35 and 36, shown herein as mounting screws, are utilized, one in each of the arcuate slotted openings 21 and 22 formed through mounting portion 16. To this end, when each of a pair of the hanger brackets is positioned adjacent one upper corner of door 10, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, its roller mounting arm portion 26 is located above the upper edge of the door while the upper edge 27 of the mounting'bracket is aligned substantially flush or coplanar with the said upper door edge. The mounting screw 35 is then inserted through arcuate slotted opening 21 and threaded into door 10 so as to be positioned closely adjacent the upper end of opening 21 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. In a similar fashion, the mounting screw. 36, associated with arcuate slotted opening 22, is located adjacent the lower end of the latter. Thus it will be understood that the mounting screw means are initially located at non-adjacent ends of their respectively associated slotted openings with the roller wheel axis therebetween to provide a support triangle. The screws 35 and 36 also threadingly engage the material of the door 10 to anchor and lock the hanger assembly in desired positions thereon when tightened, substantially as illustrated in the drawmgs.

In order to adjust the hanger assembly of this inven 7 tion and, more particularly, to locate the track-engaging bracket.

roller means 36 thereof in any one of a plurality of positions at and between the extremes of adjustment illustrated by the showings in FIGURES 2 and 3, the following procedure is followed:

Initially the two screw fastening means 35 and 36 are each backed off from their fully tightened positions approximately one-half turn. This frees the hanger bracket for pivotal adjusting movement about its center of rotation C. Thereafter the blade T of the hand tool is inserted into the engagement means or socket provided by opening 24 at the lower end of the tool receiver 20, as heretofore described, to provide the operator with an effective leverage means for pivotally moving the hanger By maneuvering the lever T, the hanger bracket may then be moved to a desired position of adjustment about its center of rotation within the limits imposed by the length of the arcuate slotted openings 21 and 22. It is to be noted that \the number of possible adjustment positions for the hanger bracket is infinite between the limits imposed by the length of the arcuate slots, which length may be varied according to various installation requirements and the desired elevation adjustment for the wheel 30.

Due to the location of the fastening means 35 and 36 in spaced relationship on opposite sides of the brackets center of rotation C and the axis for roller 30, it will be recognized that when the fastening means 35 and 36 are loosened to provide for adjusting movement of the hanger bracket, the suspended door is statically stable on the triangular support system so provided. That is to say, the wei ht of the door is transmitted directly to the hanger bracket via the spaced fastening means at their spaced points of engagement with the adjacent edges of their related slotted openings 21 and 22. The hanger bracket in turn transmits the doors weight to the apex of the support triangle defined by the axis of the roller means and thus to the overdisposed track means. This arrang ment provides a stable suspension for bearing the Vertical weight factor of the door while preventing vertical movement of the door relative to the hanger assembly when the fastening screw means are loosened. Importantly, therefore, the hanger bracket may be pivotally adjusted about its center of rotation without supporting the door by outside forces during adjusting movement. At the same time, the spaced base points of the suspension triangle, comprising the mounting screws 35, 36, provide the necessary static stability to avoid unwanted movement of the hanger bracket thereon even though the mounting screws are loosened. This feature permits the operator to obtain an arcuate and finite adjustment for positioning the door in the door frame as desired by repositioning the track-engaging roller means relative to the upper door edge.

After adjustment of the door position in the manner above described, retightening of the fastening means securely locks the hanger bracket in its adjusted position, thereby securely maintaining the desired positioning of the door in the door frame.

In view of the foregoing, it is believed that those familiar with this art will readily recognize and appreciate the improved advancement afiorded by the present invention over previously known hanger assemblies of this general class. Further, it will be appreciated that while this invention has been described in association with the particulars of a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, nevertheless the same is susceptible to numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, the foregoing described invention is not to be limited by the particulars of the herein illustrated and above-described embodiment thereof, except as may appear in the following appended claims.

We claim:

1. An improved sliding door hanger assembly comprising, a unitary metal bracket formed with a substantially planar mounting portion and, integral therewith, a roller supporting arm portion at one marginal edge of said mounting portion, and track-engaging roller means rotatably supported on said arm portion; said mounting portion having a pair of laterally spaced arcuate openings formed along circular arcs having a common center, said roller means having an axis of rotation displaced laterally of said center; and screw means insertable through said openings for threading engagement with the door to securely fasten the hanger assembly to one face of the door and lock the same in selected positions thereon with the roller means located adjacent the upper edge of the latter, said screw means being located laterally outward and on opposite sides of said center and said axis of rotation whereby when said screw means are actuated sutficiently to release said bracket the latter may be pivotally moved about said center to selected positions and thereby adjustably move said roller means along an arcuate path toward and away from the said upper edge of the door.

2. An improved sliding door hanger assembly comprising, a unitary metal bracket including a substantially planar mounting portion and a roller supporting arm portion formed integrally with said mounting portion and extending angularly outwardly of one marginal edge thereof, reinforcing means formed integrally with said mounting and arm portions and extending substantially centrally thereof for rigidifying the same, and track-engaging roller means rotatably supported at one outer end of said arm portion; said mounting portion having a pair of laterally spaced arcuate openings formed therethrough along circular arcs having a common center and located on opposite sides of said reinforcing means, said roller means having an axis of rotation displaced laterally of said center; and screw mean adapted to be mounted in said openings for threading engagement with the door to securely fasten the hanger assembly to one face of the latter with the said roller means located over the upper edge thereof, said screw means further being located on opposite sides of said common center and the said axis of rotation whereby when said screw means are moved sufficiently to release said bracket the latter may be pivotally moved about said center and located in a plurality of adjustment positions thereby to adjustably move said roller means along an arcuate path toward and away from said upper edge of the door in accordance with the moment arm advantage provided by the lateral displacement of said axis of rotation from said center, the door being statically stable in each of the brackets plurality of adjustment positions with said screw means, when tightened, serving to lock said bracket to the door to maintain selected adjustment positioning thereof.

3. An improved hanger assembly for use in supporting a door for movement along an overhead track comprising, a unitary hanger bracket including a roller supporting arm portion carrying a rotatable track-engaging roller means, and a substantially planar mounting portion having laterally spaced planar platform portions adapted to engage one face of the door when the assembly is mounted thereon; each of said platform portions having an arcuate opening formed therethrough receptive of mounting screw means for attaching the hanger assembly to the door with the said roller means disposed above the upper edge of the latter, said arcuate slotted openings being formed along circular arcs having a common center located remotely of the hanger brackets body of formation, which common center constitutes a center of pivotal movement for the hanger assembly; and means formed at one marginal edge of said mounting portion for insertably receiving a manual lever whereby said hanger bracket may be pivotally actuated about its said center of pivotal movement when said screw means are disengaged therefrom; said arcuate slotted openings further being disposed in spaced relation on opposite sides of said center and said screw means being located on opposite sides of the rotational axis for said roller means so that the door is supported in a statically stable condition in all positions of pivotal movement for the hanger assembly.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein the roller supporting arm portion supports said roller means for rotation about an axis displaced laterally of said center so that pivotal movement of the hanger assembly about said center produces arcuate displacement of the roller means toward and away from the upper edge of the door.

5. An improved hanger assembly for supporting a door for movement along an overhead track comprising, a unitary hanger bracket having a mounting portion including a pair of spaced coplanar platform portions adapted to engage one face of the door when the hanger assembly is mounted thereon, a roller mounting arm portion formed integrally with said mounting portion at one marginal edge of the latter and extending angularly outwardly of the common plane of said platform portions, a planar mounting ear formed at the outer end of said arm portion parallel to said platform portions, roller means rotatably supported on axle means extending transversely of said mounting ear; said platform portions each having an arcuate opening formed therethrough receptive of mount-V ing screw means for attaching the hanger assembly to the one face of the door so that the said platform portions are in full facial engagement with the door face and the said roller means are disposed above the upper edge of the door with the said screw means being located on opposite sides of said axle means, said openings being formed radially outward and on opposite sides of a common center located outside the body of formation for the hanger bracket and constituting a center of pivotal movement for the hanger assembly displaced laterally of said axle means; and means formed integrally with said mounting portion for connectively receivinga lever tool whereby the hanger assembly may be pivotally actuated about its said center and relative to said screw means between limits imposed by the arcuate extent of said slotted openings; said screw 5 assembly with such adjustment movement serving toregulate the position of the roller means relative to the upper edge of the door for adjustably aligning the latter in a door frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 865,046 Kail Sept. 6 1907 899,051 Hunt Sept. 22, 1908 2,198,088 Peckham Apr. 23, 1940 15 2,627,633 Shectman Feb. 10, 1953 2.775.782 Boiu Jan. 1, 1957 

1. AN IMPROVED SLIDING DOOR HANGER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING, A UNITARY METAL BRACKET FORMED WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR MOUNTING PORTION AND, INTEGRAL THEREWITH, A ROLLER SUPPORTING ARM PORTION AT ONE MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID MOUNTING PORTION, AND TRACK-ENGAGING ROLLER MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID ARM PORTION; SAID MOUNTING PORTION HAVING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED ARCUATE OPENINGS FORMED ALONG CIRCULAR ARCS HAVING A COMMON CENTER, SAID ROLLER MEANS HAVING AN AXIS OF ROTATION DISPLACED LATERALLY OF SAID CENTER; AND SCREW MEANS INSERTABLE THROUGH SAID OPENINGS FOR THREADING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DOOR TO SECURELY FASTEN THE HANGER ASSEMBLY TO ONE FACE OF THE DOOR AND LOCK THE SAME IN SELECTED POSITIONS THEREON WITH THE ROLLER MEANS LOCATED ADJACENT THE UPPER EDGE OF THE LATTER, SAID SCREW MEANS BEING LOCATED LATERALLY OUTWARD AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CENTER AND SAID AXIS OF ROTATION WHEREBY WHEN SAID SCREW MEANS ARE ACTUATED SUFFICIENTLY TO RELEASE SAID BRACKET THE LATTER MAY BE PIVOTALLY MOVED ABOUT SAID CENTER TO SELECTED POSITIONS AND THEREBY ADJUSTABLY MOVE SAID ROLLER MEANS ALONG AN ARCUATE PATH TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE SAID UPPER EDGE OF THE DOOR. 